All is not well in Gir forest in Gujarat

Though the Forest Department and administration of Gujarat claim everything is all right, the ‘illegal lion safari’ remains a head ache. The only sanctuary for Asiatic lions in the world is witnessing some unusual phenomenon. Politicians, police officers, and high profile businessmen find it easy to 'illegally' see the lions in Gir forest.

In Gir border areas, there are so many locations where in ‘special cases’ you can see the lions by paying money. If you are fortunate and see the lion, then you have to pay Rupees 1,000 to Rupees 2,000. If you are not lucky to see the lion, you just have to pay Rupees 500. Generally for lion safari you have to pay Rupees 400 for permit, Rupees 100 for guide charge and 800 rent for open car.

Sources said that the visitors who get legal permit and go for lion safari are also charged by the guides. “They take the visitors into areas which are legally not permitted to enter,” sources said. “In some cases, guides reach to the prohibited areas to find the lions”.

The officials, however, deny these kinds of instances and promise to take action if noticed by them.

The sanctuary is spread over an area of 1,412 sq km. Because of its supported species, the  area is considered one of the most important protected areas in Asia. As per the lion census of 2010, the number of Gir lions has risen from 359 in 2005 to 411 in 2010. After the widely acclaimed advertisement of ‘Khushboo Gujarat Kee’ by the Bollywood super star Amitabh Bachchan, there has been a significant increase in the number of visitors in Sasan Gir.